Dedicated to sharing the renowned artistry of the CSO, Klaus Mäkelä reignites his history-launching debut with Stravinsky’s complete, storied score for The Firebird. A work of great majesty—from a suspenseful opening rumble to its dreamy soundscapes of the natural world—Stravinsky’s symphonic masterwork continues to inspire and thrill to this day.

In 2022, Mäkelä performed the work as part of his CSO debut, an evening praised by WTTW as an “altogether thrilling performance.” The “dazzlingly sophisticated” young artist “conducted with all the grace of a dancer” as he led the CSO through the imaginative madness and delight of Stravinsky’s groundbreaking work (WTTW). This summer, Mäkelä brings that same electrifying artistry to Ravinia for—an eagerly anticipated debut that promises to be one of the season’s most unforgettable evenings.

Completing the Ravinia program, Mäkelä keeps the spotlight on the orchestra with works by Debussy that weave captivating themes around each section, from the Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun to Ibéria, called an “intoxicating spell of Andalusian nights” by Spanish composer Manuel de Falla. Together, these works offer an exhilarating glimpse of a promising new era at the CSO.

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